Paper carton having combined top closure and pouring spout



PAPER CARTON HAVING QbllBINED TOP CLOSURE AND POURING SPOUT Filed June28, 1945 2 Shei a-Shut 1 March 18, 1947. 2,417,498 PAPER CAR TON'I-IAVING COMBINED TOP CLOSURE AN]? POURING-SPQUT o. HULTIN 2 Shots-Shot 2Filed June '28, 1945 INVENTOR- Oscdr l/u/flh J5 ,4 rogue) Patented Mar.18, 1947 PAPER CARTON HAVING COMBINED TOP CLOSURE AND POURING SPOUTOscar H. Hultin, Quincy, Mass, assignor to Pneumatic Scale Corporation,

Limited, Quincy.

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 28, 1945, SerialNo. 602,071

2 Claims. I

This invention relates to a package and to a carton for producing thepackage.

The invention has for an object to provide a package comprising a filledcarton having a novel and highly efficient top closure adapted to beopened to form a convenient pouring spout for dispensing the commoditywithin the carton and whose structure is such as to facilitate openingof the carton.

With this general object in view and. such others as may hereinafterappear, the invention consists in the package and cartons hereinafterdescribed and particularly defined in the claims at the end of thisspecification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention,Fig. 1 shows a blank from which the present carton may be formed; Fig. 2is a perspective view showing the top flaps of the carton extended; Fig.3 is a similar view of the carton partially closed; Fig. 4 is a planview of the partially closed carton showing the flaps disposed inposition for the application of adhesive for sealing the carton; Fig. 5is a perspective view of the package embodying a filled. closed andsealed carton provided with a wrapper, the latter being partially brokenaway to reveal a portion of the top closure structure arranged tofacilitate opening of the pouring spout; Fig. 6 is an end view in crosssection taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. '7 is a perspective viewillustrating the manner in which the top closure is initially opened toform a pouring spout; Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the pouring spoutfully opened; and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the fully openedpouring spout in an inage comprising a filled carton having a novel andimproved top closure in which the closing flaps are formed and folded ina manner such as k to provide a pouring spent at one corner of ti:

carton when the same is opened, and wh ch is characterized by novelstructure to facilitate opening of the pouring spout. In the preferredform of the invention one of the end flaps of the carton is formedintegrally with an adjacent side flap the latter being preferably scoredto permit the connected side and end flaps to be folded down togetherinto top closing position to form a bellows like fold in one of theflaps so that when opened the integral side and end flaps form at thecorner between the same a pouring spout through which the contents ofthe carton may be conveniently discharged.

Provision is also madein the preferred embodiment of the invention forfacilitating opening of the pouring spout and to this end perforationsor weakened lines are preferably provided in the carton at suitableportions adjacent the pouring end so that the flaps may be easily tornand separated from the remainder of the top closure to form the pouringopening, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the illustrated carton a folded edge of the bellows fold may extendsubstantially parallel to one wall of the closed carton, as shown inFig. 5, and, in opening the carton it is intended that this folded edgebe grasped and lifted to open the pouring spout, as shown in Fig. '7. Inorder to facilitate such procedure the junction of the upper edge orcorner of the side wall and extended flap portion thereof immediatelybelow the edge of the fold to be grasped is beveled or rounded to form ahollow space between the fold and the underlying edge of the carton intowhich hollow space the thumb or finger may be inserted to obtain a firmgrasp on the fold to initiate the opening operation. Further, in theformation of the carton, the bellows fold may and preferably will bemade at an angle such as to permit said folded edge to extend beyond theedge or extension of the vertical side wall of the carton in its closedform, as best shown in Fig? 4, whereby to further facilitate access tothe underside of the folded edge of the bellows fold to be lifted toinitiate opening of the pouring spout.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Fig, 1, l0 representsa carton blank proided with scored fold lines defining side wall panelsi2, i4 and end wall panels l6. l8 provided with bottom closure flaps 20,22 respectively of conventional form extended from the side and end wallpanels. and, the end wall panel 7 i8 is also provided with the usuallongitudinal tab 24 for securing the carton in its assembled form. Thetop closing flaps are constructed and folded in a manner such as toprovide a pouring spout at one end of the carton when the latter isopened, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and, as better shown in Figs. 1 and2. the top closing flaps comprise a side flap 26 foldably connected tothe panel I 2 and provided with a perforated or weakened arcuate line29, an integral side and end flap member 30 comprising the spout formingflap extending from the panel 16 and a portion of panel 14. a partialside flap 32 foldably connected to the remainder of the panel l4 and anend flap 34 fold-ably connected to the panel I8.

As herein shown, the spout forming flap 30 is generally arcuate in formand provided with angular score lines 34, 38 dividing the flap 3. into agenerally quadrant shaped section 40, and two generally octant shapedsections 42, 44 arranged to form a bellows fold when folded into topclosing position. The arcuate portion of the spout forming flap 38extends along sections 40, 42' comprising substantially a quadrant andan octant and the arc is extended in perforate form through the section44 by a weakened line 46. The remaining portion of the section 44 of theflap 3!! extends angularly upward from the junction of sections 42, 44to the end of the flap, as shown, and forms a section 48 defined by saidangular line, the perforated are 46 and the end of the flap.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the flap portions 25, 32, 34 and aportion of section 48 of flap 30 are foldably connected to theirrespective panels by a fold line extending along a plane 50. In order topermit the corner or edge of the carton adjacent the bellows foldsection 44 to be rounded or beveled during the closing operation, a foldline 52 adjacent said section is scored slightly below the level of thescore line 58, as illustrated. The end of the score line 52 adjacent theedge of the panel US may be extended angularly to meet the score line58, and, the other end of the line 52 may and preferably will terminateprior to reaching the end of the flap 32 in order to permit the portionbetween the end of the score line and the flap to take a natural foldduring the closing operation.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the sequence in which the flaps are closed isas follows. The spout forming flap 30 is first folded down bysimultaneously folding in the side and end flap sections thereof forminga bellows fold having an exposed folded edge 54 substantially parallelto the edge of the panel 14, and with the end flap section All-overlyingthe bellows fold. When thus folded the underlying portion or the bellowsfold breaks or folds over on the lowered score line 52 forming a hollowor open space 55 between the edge 54 and the adjacent edge of thecarton. In practice, the carton may and preferably will be formed andfolded on a forming block shaped to assist in forming the rounded orbeveled edge. At the same time as the bellows .fold is being formed theside flap portion 32 and end flap 34 may be folded down with the endfiap overlying the side flap as shown. The remaining side flap 26 isthen folded down and adhesively secured to the underlying flaps. Asillustrated in Fig. 4, prior to folding down the last folded flap thelatter is first spread outwardly for convenienceln applying a coating ofadhesive thereto. In practies, the forming block above referred to mayand preferably will be formed with suitable depressed portions topermit. the multiple plyportions of the top closure tobe pressed in soas toprovide a substantially levelv upper surface against which theadhesive flap 26 may be pressed. As shown in Fig. 5, .the completelysealed carton or package may, in some" instances bea vided with an outerwrapper 60'. i

From the description thus far it will bepb- I served that in theassembled package or carton the bellows fold portions 'of' the integralflap.

a of the section. 46 and forms. an integral part thereof in the sealedcarton.

In order tq open the carton to expose the pouring spout, the top closureis torn along the arcuate line 29 by lifting upwardly against thebellows folded edge 54 as shown in Fig. 'l to separate the side flapportion 62 from the remainder of the side flap 25, the remaining portionof the latter being retained in its initially sealed condition. Thisoperation may,be performed by inserting the thumb or finger under theexposed folded edge portion 54, the hollow or open space 56 immediatelybelow the edge greatly facilitating this operation. As herein shown, inorder to further facilitate this operation, the bellows folded edge 54is preferably arranged to extend'- outwardly beyond the edge of thecarton so as to provide a convenient projection in the closed carton bywhich the flaps may be grasped to initiate the tearing operation. Asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, the folded edge 54 of the bellows fold iscaused to project beyond the edge of the carton, as shown. by scoringthe folding line 36 slightly off. the perpendicular so that the angledefined by the-score'line 38 and the score line, 59 of the flap section40' will be slightly more than degrees. Thus, when the flap portion 30is subsequently folded down, the folded edge 54 will project outwardlybeyond the edge of the carton, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. I

Upon separation-toftheflap-portion 62 along the perforated line 28; asabovedescribed; the upraised flaps are grasped and,v upon-furtherlifting movement the underlying perforated portion 46 of the flap 44 istorn from the adhe iively secured portionAB whereupon the severed 7 ansmay be fugy extended to form the pouring spout, as illustratedin.FigsT'S' and 9.

From the above description, it will be observed that the presentinvention provides a novel and improved carton which may be economicallyproduced and. having a top closure whizh may be easily opened to form asimple and convenient pouring spout. It will be further observed thatthe present carton is characterized by having a hollow space or openingadjacent one edge of the spout forming flaps in their closed conditionwhereby to facilitate access to the edge of the pouring spout toinitiate the opening operation. This feature is of particular advantagewhen the carton is covered with an outer wrapper for by pressing alongthe edge of the package, the hollow space may be readily detected, thewrapper torn, and the flaps raised to extend the pouring spout. I r

While the preferred em-bodlmentof the inven+ tion has been hereinillustrated ands'deszribed it} f will be"understood*-that thcinvention;may be embodied in'otherforms withinthe ope -of'the 6o: I

following d aving thusdescribed the; in ntien member 30 is free ofadheslve'and that the ari-f 1 cuate weakened line iron theunderlying'scclow said folded edge to facilitate access thereto, saidbellows like fold having said one folded edge projecting beyond theadjacent wall of the carton to facilitate opening of the pouring spout.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a package comprising a carton havingside and end wall pan els provided with extensions forming the topclosing flaps, said top closing flaps including an integral side and endflap member of subs antially arcuate form and provided with radiallyscored lines arranged to permit said integral flap member to be foldedto form a bellows like fold therein as a part of the closed top of thecarton. and. when opened, to form a pouring spout, said beilows fold inits closed form having one folded edge adjacent an edge of the cartonarranged to be grasped to initiate opening of the pouring spout, saidcarton having a depressed portion therein immediately below said foldededge to facilitate REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecord in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,349,362 Marshall May 23. 1M41,704,987 Marsh Mar. 12. 1929 2,064,029 Murray Dec. 15, 1936 2,029,747Venning et al Feb. 4, 1936 2,028,687 Rea Jan, 21, 1936

